The release of Fifty Shades of Grey might be providing excitement to millions of movie-goers, but for firefighters in Britain, it is proving to be an increasing anticipation of call-outs from over-zealous lovers having bondage mishaps.
With the movie, based on a graphic bondage book by E.L. James, releasing on Feb. 13, the London Fire Brigade is expecting a "spike" of unusual cases, with people being stuck or trapped in handcuffs or rings, BBC News reported on Thursday.
Since the Fifty Shades book was released in 2011, LSB has seen an increasing number of people trapped or stuck in everyday items. Now, the brigade is asking fans of the erotic book and film to exercise common sense when indulging in their fantasies and to call 999 only during a genuine emergency.
"The Fifty Shades effect seems to spike handcuff incidents so we hope film-goers will use common sense and avoid leaving themselves red-faced," Dave Brown, Third Officer of the London Fire Brigade, said. "I'd like to remind everyone that 999 is an emergency number and should only be used as such."
"If there's a genuine emergency, fire crews will of course attend and will be on the scene to help within minutes."
Since April 2014, the brigade has attended 472 incidents, with each embarrassing incident costing an average of £295 ($450) to the taxpayer, according to London Evening Standard.
At least once a day, LFB is contacted about "compromising" situations, including stubborn penis rings and a man with his genitals stuck in a vacuum cleaner.
Last year, the brigade was asked by doctors at King's College Hospital to assist them in removing two steel rings which had been stuck on a man's penis for three days. After using hydraulic cutting equipment, firefighters were eventually able to remove them.
On another occasion, the brigade was called by a woman whose husband had become locked in a chastity belt.
When the big-screen adaptation is released on Friday, the brigade doesn't want to be tied up tackling too many problems while neglecting actual emergency situations.
While there could sometimes be a "funny side" to some of these predicaments, they could be painful and "end up wasting emergency service time," a spokesman said. "Our advice is to try and avoid getting in that position in the first place."
Meanwhile the film, described as a "mummy-porn romance," follows an affair between student Anastasia Steele and billionaire Christian Grey.
